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.Making The World A Better Place Inc.
Main Concept: The whole concept behind this project is this. I basically created my own business, called "Making The World A Better Place Inc." The business is not what you're thinking of. It doesn't "save the world". It doesn't try and make the whole world happy in terms of social context. The business, for example, does not specialize in stopping racism throughout general society, or conflict and try to make peace treaties. We are not a political organization. We are a nonpartisan company concentrating on business ethics. We care solely about improving the business environment by reviewing business ethics, and why they effect Congo's overall industrial environment. They can be economical or environmental. We are not militaristic. We don't march soldiers, whistle close to their faces, tell them that America is the best place on Earth and that if they don't think so, they are the worst people in the planet and must kill themselves, go hut 2, 3, 4 and run around the camp, yell at their faces to do trillions of pushups, and tell them to "go get 'er done!". But we are not involved with politics and definitely not the military. We do not force to help others, even if they live in the worst of conditions. Even if the country was at war, struggling to survive economically but did not want our company to visit us, we are nonpartisan. We don't try to tell others what to do. We analyse, listen to insight, research and talk to business people about what they think and their views on how they can improve. Yes, we have solutions and we ask that we provide them. If they don't want us to provide them, we won't. That is simply all we do. We don't support political parties or movements, or nothing which affects society outside of business. By "Making The World A Business Place", I don't mean the whole world. I mean the business place. But look at it this way. It does (although indirectly) make the whole world a better place. By talking to businesses, we know of their issues. We know what they experience in their environments. By knowing how their businesses run and function, we also know how the people work for themselves and their own lifestyles. We know their culture and how their society works. We have the potential, but we don't force the potential. Do you understand what I mean? This business hires surveyors, other researches who specialize in certain areas. The country travels literally everywhere, even to the United States. Oh and by the way, this company is based off of Canada (primarily because I used a resource based on Canadian information on Congo). But I digress. However, the company mostly focuses on countries that are super poor. They tend to have the most problems, so we focus on them more. Many of the poorest countries in the world are located in Africa and Asia. But several nations in South America (which out of the three "developing" nations continents, it might be the most developed) are also very poor. We avoid certain countries of course. North Korea is out of the question. Russia is also very risky. Although possible, it's like a "last resort" place for us. But North Korea? Nope. Never. They want no foreigners ever. So the business firm doesn't bother going over there. China is also tremendously risqué, for the same reasons concerning Russia. The Middle East is also very dangerous, but not impossible. However, out of all the possible places, I picked Congo…and in all honesty, I picked Congo because of National Geographic magazine. Which I didn't read even though it's one and a half months old. Goodness, I need to crack down and read some stuff, you know? Oh, and they have an article about North Korea too which I'll try reading. The article itself was about child labour, which was my main attention. But I figured I didn’t want to sound patronizing and go on length about how we can "save children". I wanted a more pragmatic cause, and I knew business ethics (while subjective, was still less emotionally involved concerning the business world). It's not that I'm cold and that I don't care, because I do and I wish those children didn't have to suffer throughout all that. But there is cultural background suggesting this was something that has always existed in Africa. And I wanted to not sound so moralistic nor "holier-than-Thou" in this report. I wanted a more general concept which had a more general, comprehensible background. I did mention child labour as one of the business ethic concerns, but not the sole business ethic concern. What Is On The Report?: On the report, I divided it up to four sections. I am currently in the last one, part two of the last one in fact. Here, I'll divide it up here: (this comes from the actual paper, btw). I am talking about doing business over there and plan on outlining what I need to do to do so, so I am not in hot water…I just need to do all of that tomorrow…oh, I meant today. In seven hours, god I hate time. The first section, like I said, is just me saying: "This is what I'm talking about. This is what I will discuss, blah blah blah". That's it. Nothing special. The second section provides background information which explains the whys and how's behind me wanting to go to Congo. I make up completely fictional experiences (I wish they do, in one way or another, become some sort of a reality). I talk to a female nurse, who works at a poorly lit small clinic. I also exhibit cultural knowledge concerning how I must act cordially with foreigners. I also write down the issues which are further explained in the third section. The third section analyses the issues, providing what I've found out. They are divided based on which it affects more (in terms of economy or environmentally. Poor commute causes people to have a hard time going to work, extortion prevents revenue. Also explained would be child labour (in poor working environment) and government miscommunication with economic activities, therefore a poor trading network and an informal economy. The fourth (and final) is meant to plan out what will happen in the future. I did the first part by cleaning it up and claiming that they were the steps needed to arrive at a solution. I decided not to talk about the solutions, as they provided more research, and more page numbers. I'll probably have at least 9. It's only one extra page, and that page is the Reference Page anyway. ---- TO: Miss Emma O. Troubleson, Chairman of International Peace Coalition FROM: Mr. Austin C. Thompson, CEO of Making The World A Better Place Inc. SUBJECT: Report Discussing My Trip and Scheduling a Venture to the DRC DATE: 16/11/13 Ethical Issues Concerning Congo's Professional Environment Overview Miss Troubleson, I will respond your inquiry on my personal trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Upon returning, I grew concerned about the issues Congolese businesses face. You also requested that we plan two meetings between us and specific workers from our corporations. These conferences will discuss our first Congolese professional mission. In this report, I will address three primary matters: 1.' Providing Background Information:' I will explain why I visited the DRC. I'll also depict Congolese cultural behaviour. I will share certain experiences; specifically my conversation with a kind nurse, who displays insight concerning Congo's atmosphere. This section compares how the ethical issues relate with these experiences. 2. Analysing Business Ethics: I will scrutinize four specific issues. These issues are divided into two classes based on which affects what. The two classes are fiscally ethical and environmentally ethical. I will outline the issues, clarifying why they occur. This section describes the ethical issues, and how they affect businesses and businesspersons. 3. Strategizing The Prospect: I will plan two meetings. Both meetings will focus on our business venture by planning ahead. Each meeting has their own purpose; I won't go over them here. Rather, I will reveal the information required for preparing ourselves for these conferences. * The first will outline probable solutions for the issues. There are four mandatory steps behind every solution. These steps will help us resolve the ethical issues. If the first attempt doesn't work, we repeat the steps until we find a probable solution. * The second will involve both support parties, selecting workers who will travel with us (based on knowledge on African business ethics), sharing the solutions with them, and scheduling further appointments. There are five specific criteria Congolese businesses expect from us. I gathered this information thanks to a Congolese business firm who agreed working with us on this trip (if it occurs). This criterion will help us familiarize ourselves with Congo's business environment. If we cannot meet this criterion, we might not continue with this project. Providing Background Information I will explain some things I experienced on my first visit to the DRC. On September 30th, a colleague asked why our company rarely reserves African trips. We select countries mostly based on joint agreements. Unlike five years ago, various African nations refuse our help. This is why we hardly booked African trips. He mentioned numerous concerns that he recommended I look over. I gathered several books and academic reports, noticing several alarming issues. I reviewed Benin, Chad, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Cote d'Ivoire. These countries share many of the same concerns, revolving around poverty. Out of all the places I researched, Congo fascinated me the most. Congo interested me particularly since the Congolese Wars affected nearly every aspect of life in Congo. It wasn't just their fragmented economy. The Wars affected their homes, infrastructure, and professional lives too. Fascinated, I decided on taking a small, brief trip to Congo for two days. I was baffled over how Congo could survive under calamitous conditions, despite their deprived state. I researched Congo's cultural information, browsing several websites. The Foreign Affairs website provided info for nearly every country. Two distinct perspectives (local and Canadian) addressed questions regarding understandable concerns like communicating effectively and practicing etiquette. I also discovered that French (which I am somewhat fluent in) was DRC's primary language. After concluding, I departed to the Congo. When I arrived at Lubumbashi, I searched for someone whom I could speak with. I wanted to practice my French and etiquette. I met a Congolese woman, who appeared well into her late twenties. She was very cordial and appeared very friendly. I remember asking myself, "I was meeting her for the first time. I wanted to make a good impression. What could I talk about?" (Foreign Affairs, 2009). After we introduced ourselves, we shook our hands. I didn't address her too formally during my conversation. Conversing informally was more tolerable. When walked out of the airport, she asked if I had any children. I remembered reading it was a question many Congolese asked people they'd meet for the first time. I told her I had no children. She has one child, who was attending school. She was thankful for him because of how fortunate he was. I almost explained how problematic child labour was in Africa. I did not want to lecture her, so I didn't say anything. We walked down mucky streets, where I noticed the depreciate infrastructure. She discussed how the Wars destroyed numerous roads. Private transportation is scarce, even if the roads were in great condition (Congo Forum, 2013). She never leaves Lubumbashi, but claimed it did not upset her. She showed me a small well-worn clinic, where she worked as a nurse. I remembered how poor the electricity was. She described inefficient supply as a common problem throughout many small businesses. Larger industries had fewer issues, because they could afford an efficient electrical circuit. I remember two people arguing behind me in Swahili. Showing dynamic emotions in public was acceptable in Congo (Foreign Affairs, 2009). The lady translated, claiming they argued why taxes were so high. I overheard this argument, taking note of what she translated. I wrote my observations down at my hotel later that night. I was fascinated yet devastated over what I saw. The whole trip astonished me so much; I definitely wanted to come back. I had second thoughts whether or not I should schedule appointments with Africa more often. I wrongly neglected Africa for so long. For the first time in five years, I contemplated our first serious African endeavor. Analysing Business Ethics This section studies the four vital issues within Congo's industrial world. In our first conference, we will discuss these issues further. The issues are divided based upon which group it affects. The fiscally ethical issues affect economic activity, while the environmentally ethical involve the atmosphere. The two bullet lists seperate the two main groups, while narrowing down the issues; Fiscally Ethical a. High tax rates/Extortion b. Informal economy Environmentally Ethical 'a. Poor working environment/lack of proper business regulation b. Poor transport infrastructure 'Fiscally Ethical Issues ' The fiscally ethical issues focus with the economy. Such issues include unreasonably high taxes, informal economy, and extortion amongst smaller businesses.   ''High tax rates/Extortion *According to PWC's (PricewaterhouseCoopers) "Paying Taxes 2012" PDF file, Congo's total tax rate is 339.7%. This percentage is extremely high, even compared with other African nations (PWC, 2013). High tax percentages harm businesses (specifically smaller businesses). *Since Congo's government cannot effectively fund their military, businesspersons are easily extorted. They are demanded to pay taxes. The "taxes" are used for gathering resources Congo still fight over. Extortion causes Congo's market to distort. ''Informal economy *Congo's economy is largely informal. The belief, in terms of economic trade and profit, is "the quicker, the better". Barter and other informal economic methods replaced banks, because they are quicker. Banks are only common in bigger cities such as Lubumbashi and Kinshasa (Giplin and Downie, 2009). *Businesses were ousted from formal institutions. Informal institutions assumingly replaced them. Formal institutions were ousted because of: **Significantly high costs **The governmental bureaucracies were not helping the formal institutions enough. **Onerous delays, hinting lack of organization. **Corruption, which is a widespread problem in countries with poor governments (Giplin and Downie, 2009). 'Environmentally Ethical Issues The environmentally ethical issues focus on how they affect the working environment. Poor working conditions and inconvenient infrastructure are examples. ''Poor working environment/lack of proper business regulation'' *The abundance of rich resources caused turmoil in Congo for decades. Several industries continue competing for resources (i.e. diamonds, gold, and cobalt). Essentially, they fight over who receives the most benefit from them. *The conflict surrounding the industrial environment prolonged violence, promoted economic exploitation, prioritized mining activities over agriculture, and destructed the environment (Giplin and Downine, 2009). *Economic activity in Congo is very laissez-faire. This means the government hardly regulates activities within industries. Despite passing anti-child labour legislation around 2010, authorities cannot prosecute offenders who utilize child labour. The government lacks the financial and social resources (Global March, 2013). ''Poor transport infrastructure'' *The DRC has one of the worst transportation safety records in the world. In cities, people typically commute via communal buses. However, buses are too small and overcrowded. Passengers must also wait hours for a bus. *The defective infrastructure means workers can't commute easily. This is problematic not only for workers, but businesses as well (TV2Africa, 2011). As you can see; these issues affect Congo's business world, whether directly or indirectly. However, we just achieved the first step into solving the problems. We, at least, recognize these issues and their impact. Strategising The Prospect We must not hurry ourselves nor neglect steps mandatory pertaining conducting business in the DRC. We must cohesively plan ahead before leaving. We will schedule two meetings schedule, depending on whenever we feel is best. For the meetings, I planned on what we will generally discuss. 'The Steps Towards Resolution ' For the first, we will share insight over these problems. Since we've studied these issues, we'll think of pragmatic solutions aiming towards a better future for Congo. I will discuss the steps necessary for settling these issues. #The first step is recognizing the issues. We previously recognized these issues by analysing them. What about other issues I haven't noticed? Should we familiarize with all the issues, or just the ones drastically destructing Congo's business environment? Approaching all of them is ideal. There could be more issues in Congo than even its own citizens cannot distinguish. #The second step is gathering and scrutinizing them. Figuring out the causes behind the issues, acknowledging their background history and further research will enlighten many of the issues involved. #The third step is finding the solution. We must approach this step, meticulously examining auxiliary steps. Solving the issues requires comparing other countries which share(d) this issue, learning their methodology towards the solution, and determining how reasonable that solution was. #The fourth step is experimenting with the solution. This is the riskiest, and the most strenuous. We must experiment with these solutions, ensuring the solution's efficiency. We cannot experiment without achieving the steps above. Solutions with no prior existence, which we supposedly "create", are the riskiest of solutions. If these solutions fail, the cycle will repeat until we find a proper solution. If the solution turns out successful, we will not tamper with it. We should not intervene with it unless the solution deems necessary. We cannot tweak it. If we tweak it, the solution could destruct itself. 'Understanding What Congo Expects' For the second, we will discuss the five standards Congo holds up for foreign businesses. These five things follow as; Certain Managerial Characteristics "What do the Congolese expect from international or local managers? How do they acknowledge their supervisors?" In fact; leadership qualities, personality, prior experience and creating innovative ideas are more appreciated than educational background. Even with education, the Congolese nonetheless prioritize your experiences as a professional worker. The Congolese want workers with professional experience. It tells them you're a competent worker looking forward (Foreign Affairs, 2009). Making Decisions "What about decisions? Who will make them? How do people make decisions? Do the workers have any input about any concerns they may have?" Historically, the senior staff always made the decisions. The senior staff generates ideas, discussing them in meetings. Sharing feedback with your supervisor is acceptable. However, not so with that supervisor's supervisor (Foreign Affairs, 2009). Formal Attitude "Are the Congolese very formal people? What should I learn about Congo's working environment?" Dress is not Congo's biggest concern, although dressing pleasantly is recommended. There are no issues with bear arms, cleavage, etc. Workers are proud over what they are doing, so respecting their performance is important. Meetings are also very important (Foreign Affairs, 2009). Dealing with Conflict "If conflict ensues, how do we deal with it? Is confronting a worker acceptable?" Tact is very important. Many people are ambitious, and will have no qualms competing against you. Confronting a colleague publically is not acceptable, even if you are that person's boss. A private discussion however, is acceptable (Foreign Affairs, 2009). Building Relationships "Should we focus on building relationships with fellow business workers? Should we focus on that before or after discussing business?" A professional relationship precedes a personal one. It is quicker finishing business this way. Establishing a personal relationship is also important though, and recommended. This personal relationship has many advantages; such as establishing your reputation (Foreign Affairs, 2009). ---- References Beta.globalmarch.org (2011). Child labour in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Global March Against Child Labour. Retrieved from: http:// globalmarch.org/news/291110.php. Congo Forum. Transport in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo Forum. Retrieved from: http://www.congoforum.be/en/congodetail.asp?subitem=17&id=43205&C ngofiche=selected. Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Canada (2009). Cultural information - Congo, Democratic Republic of the. Retrieved from: http://www.intercultures.ca/cil cai/overview-apercu-eng.asp?iso=cd. Giplin, R. and Downie, R. (2009). Conflict-business dynamics in the Democratic Republic of Congo. United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved from: http://www.usip.org/publications/conflict-business-dynamics-in-the democratic republic-of-congo. PWC (2013). Paying taxes 2012 e-book. PricewaterhouseCoopers. Retrieved from: http://www.pwc.com/lt/en/assets/publications/Paying-Taxes-2012.pdf. TV2Africa (2011). Congo's transport infrastructure in dire need file. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v339fI_hvRY.